The Institute of Public Policy requests $19,902  to implement a 7-months project aiming at participation promoting of NGO in decision and policy making and contributing to the democratisation process by strengthening capacity of CSOs representatives from security zone of the Republic of Moldova (considering NGOs from  both - the left and right banks of the Nistru river) in the following localities: Cocieri, Molovata, Corjova, Horlecani, Cosnita, Dubasari Town, Rogi, Lunga, New Pogrebea.  NGOs from the security zone should exert their influence on key policies and decision makers in their localities. This project aims at strengthening NGOs’capacities in advocacy, communication, strategic planning. The expected results are: an increased participation of local organizations in the decision making process using improved advocacy tools and mechanisms, a  better communication and strategic planning skills. Promotion of quality partnerships and networking between actors from the security zone is also foreseen within this project.

Project Goals and Objectives:

The project goal is the development and consolidation of CSOs capacities from the security zone (considering NGOs from  both - the left and right banks of the Nistru river) to ensure a better involvement in the democratic decision making process and fostering qulity partnership between NGOs within and out of the region to find better solutions of the local issues.

The established objectives:

1. At the end of the project to improve the skills of at least 25 selected CSOs representatives from the security zone (as from the left bank so from the right bank) in advocacy activities, strategic planning and communication with decision makers and beneficiaries within 3 training modules.

2. At the end of the project, strengthening the capacity of those at least 25 selected CSOs representatives from the security zone to participate in defining and implementing sustainable development strategies, including their political, economic, social and environmental aspects, by helping them  build micro-macro linkages between grassroot development issues and overall national development priorities.

3. At the end of the project, fostered networking and alliances between CSOs from the security zone (as from the left bank so from the right bank) by stimulating the efficient dialogue between them on the most crucial local issues.

Project Activities:

Taking into consideration the established objectives, during project implementation the following activities will be realized:

1.  Organization and development of support activities for developing CSOs' capacities

- The project team, assisted by experts of Public Policy Institute will develop the training program (curricula) and necessary materials. Some of the existing materials will be adapted to the specific needs of the target region. They will include: training modules, guidelines, tips on a better communication with partners which may contribute to their initiatives implementation. This preparation stage and selection will take the first month of the project. Participants will be selected and the selection procedure will be based on the CVs of the potential participants and short motivation letters where the potential participants will present their brief description and vision on the development of their organizations . The participants will be representatives of NGOs from the security zone.

- As a result of the preparation and selection stage, 3 training sessions will be organized for at least 25 selected participants from active CSO's  from different fields (training sessions will focus on three modules: advocacy tools, communication and strategic planning). The ideas, concepts presented in the motivation letters (during selection procedure) will be also taken into consideration. So, the beneficiaries will indirectly participate at the design of the whole training process.

-Initial and final evaluations will be realized during the training sessions (collected data: participants expectations and needs, numbers of attendees at each session, participants' feedback). The information will be used as an input from participants at the stage of handbook development.

- Due to the fact, this capacity building exercise foreseen by the project will be an interactive one, training sessions will be designed based on theoretical and practical approaches (it will include practical exercises and simulations) followed by coaching assistance. This assistance will be guaranteed between the training sessions by the experts, so that some concrete plans, strategies may be developed further.  

2. Elaboration of a handbook

- This handbook will be elaborated based on the experts research in the field of NGOs participation in the decision making process (having the main focus on the project target region) but at the same time there will be mentioned the observations and concrete study cases analyzed during the training sessions process.

- Trainers and the experts of  the Institute for Public Policy will be directly involved in the development of the handbook, which will assure high impact and efficiency of the whole training process.

3. Organization of one matchmaking event with the participation of direct beneficiaries of the project

- One event will be organized for the CSOs from the both sides of the Nistru river from the security zone, donor institutions will be invited as well. During the event  the most crucial local issues identified during the training process will be presented. This event will be used also for project results dissemination (in the framework of the event at least one presentation on project results will be made).

- As a preparatory activity, project team will also select and disseminate useful data of the invited organizations, potential partners and donors. We will take into account the field of their activity, projects already realized, financial capacity. This activity will facilitate establishing of micro-macro linkages among grassroots and national organizations.

 - During the event, some of the training sessions results and team's observation will be presented, as well as target beneficiaries points of view will be expressed, their policy and strategy drafts will be presented, the overall aim being the establishment of an efficient dialog between different stakeholders.

4. During the whole implementation period, project management, coordination and communication activities will be performed:

- A detailed working plan of activities will be elaborated

- Monitoring activities will be realized during the implementation period

- Project management team consolidation

- Constant communication activities (coordination of the activities)

- Project promotion and results dissemination

- Elaboration of promotional materials